Subject to Change
by Slide Away
Summary: Plz read and review! ''Don't interrupt me when I'm talking to myself, Mudblood.''
1. The Prefect Meeting

Ch 1_The Meeting  
  
A/N: Not sure where this is going. but it wouldn't hurt to just glance at a chapter? Ship is going to change a lot. and there will be many. R/R if you'd like me to continue. Btw its 6th year.  
  
Flipping through the pages of her memory book, a whimpering Hermione sat sniffing upon her bed, reminiscing. Conjuring up all the good times she and Ron had shared over the last year. Their breakup was for the best. They had grown apart over the summer, and they hadn't had much of a relationship when they WERE going out. But now that it was over.. Hermione just couldn't explain how she felt. She'd liked him ever since they'd first met. She loved how he could just make her laugh by accident; his cute face; how he'd always defended her from Malfoy. She loved his adorable red hair, and mottled nose, and even his horrible temper. All she could think about was Ron.  
  
Trying to cheer herself up, she began to contemplate all the things that Ron was lousy at, as a boyfriend. He wasn't romantic, or that intellectual, and rather hotheaded. He was also quite sweet.. But that's not a bad thing! 'Stop getting off topic!' Hermione thought to herself. Hermione sniffed, and hearing a sort of swishing noise outside her window, she straightened from her sprawled state, and lightly pushed back the curtain, which impeded her vision.  
  
Peering out the now clear window, she could see an owl, rather tiny in her opinion, but very familiar. "Pig," she said, sighing, recognizing Ron's owl. She opened the window for the little bird and it dropped the letter from his claws onto her desk and flew to perch on her delicate finger. After petting Pigwidgeon, Hermione lowered him daintily to the desk and picked up the crumpled note from the table.  
  
Hermione,  
  
It's Harry. I'm sorry about you and Ron. It's okay, don't worry about it. You weren't that compatible in the first place. I hope things don't get weird between you two, cause no matter what happens, we'll always be best friends, okay 'Mione? All right, well, I can't talk now, sorry. By the way, I'm using Ron's owl because Hedwig is sleeping. But Hermione I really do hope you're feeling better, after the breakup and all.. You're a strong, smart, beautiful girl, and I know that you'll find someone new in no time at all. I'll see you tomorrow? I'm really sorry I can't go over there and help you, but Ron's raving again.. Goodbye, Hermione. Feel better.  
  
Harry  
  
Hermione sniffed again, irritated that Harry had stayed with Ron through all of this. He'd always take his side on things like this. It'd always been like this. Through all of her and Ron's fights, he'd always endorse Ron. It was already September, and by now, after reading the letter, she'd calmed down enough to go for a nice refreshing bath in the Prefect Bathroom. Of course, it wasn't like her to bathe nude, at the thought of other people joining her at any time, despite how late it had been, so she donned her bathing suit, a rather modest bikini. Hermione Granger wandered through the halls of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Pinning her robe closed with one hand, she used the other to tuck a crimped wisp of brown hair from her face behind her ear. As abruptly as she'd left, she'd reached her destination. As Hermione was about to open the door, she heard a voice coming from the bathroom. It was none other than Draco Malfoy, so she couldn't resist eavesdropping.  
  
"Ahhh.. Peace and quiet," sighed Malfoy, feeling refreshed and tranquil. Meanwhile, Hermione was thinking to herself something along the lines of him talking to himself. Deciding that he had been, she just moseyed on in. Draco was so startled that he dropped the book he had been reading. "What are YOU doing here?" Malfoy wanted to know. "I'm training a flea circus.. What does it look like I'm doing?" Hermione sarcastically and sadistically retorted.  
  
"Cute. Well I'm not sharing a tub with a Mudblood," he emphasized the foul word as if it were a dreaded disease.  
  
"No one's stopping you from leaving."  
  
"Ice Queen."  
  
"Ferret."  
  
"Know-It-All."  
  
"Better than not knowing anything! Pencil Dick."  
  
"Oh really? That's not what anyone else thinks.. and unlike you, they'd know from experience. I'd be more than happy to prove it to you."  
  
"No thanks, I'll pass."  
  
"What? Gryffindor lost her courage?"  
  
"Malfoy lost his loathing?"  
  
Draco sneered at her snide remark and added, "Oh how would you know anyway? Weasel probably dropped you for your abstinence."  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE FERRET!!!!" screamed Hermione, whipping out her wand.  
  
"Not so fast," said Draco who'd already grabbed his along with a towel and gotten out of the water. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."  
  
"WHY NOT? WHAT CAN A GAY LITTLE BOUNCING FERRET LIKE you DO?" she screeched.  
  
"A lot," he said menacingly, not losing his cool.  
  
"FINE, I'M STAYING! I came here for a bath and if you have a problem with it, you can just leave yourself."  
  
"I'm way ahead of you there," said Draco, on his way out the door.  
  
"Hey wait! You forgot your.." said Hermione, noticing the book he left behind. 'They Cage the Animals at Night,' she read. 'A muggle book?' she thought. 'This looks interesting.. Prologue. "Kelly!"' Enthralled by the touching story of Jennings Michael Burch, Hermione just stood there, reading the first few pages and back page praise. 'Wow. How heartfelt! Why would someone like Malfoy be reading that?' she mentally questioned. "Oh well, I suppose now I'll just have to wait for him to come back," she said aloud. Sighing she sagged down into the water, and read the book. She even finished in record time. By the time she got out, and hour and half had passed and it was already 3:30 in the morning. It was this time that Malfoy chose to remember that he had left his book and proceeded in retrieving it.  
  
"You're still here?"  
  
"Obviously." Malfoy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Right, whatever.."  
  
"You forgot your book."  
  
"No shit, Sherlock."  
  
"Keep pissing Watson. Wait.. How do you know that phrase? It's strictly muggle," she finished matter-of-factly, taking a double-take.  
  
"I have my sources."  
  
"Anyway, the book is amazing! Why are you reading it? Here," she extended her hand, the book in it.  
  
"No, you can keep it now that you've gone and touched it.. And as for your question, that's none of your Goddamn business."  
  
"Whatever, Malfoy."  
  
"Ok, so now I have.." Draco muttered to himself.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking to myself, Mudblood."  
  
"Ugh," Hermione cringed.  
  
"Anyway, was it a good book? I never finished it."  
  
"Well, what part did you get up to?"  
  
"When that kid Jennings meets his friend again at the hospital."  
  
"Oh my God! That part's so sad! You have to read it yourself!"  
  
"Oh okay, well give me the book then." Hermione handed it over and for just a second, if not longer, they both forgot their differences and shared a certain vibe, a share of interest in a book. For that one second, that book was no muggle book, nor wizard book. For that one second that their hands brushed against one another's gently, Hermione was not a Mudblood, and Malfoy was no longer a Pureblood. They were even. They were even.  
  
"I'll, umm, see you later in class, Malfoy," said Hermione, a little confused at Draco's lack of hostility.  
  
"Yeah, yeah.." he trailed off, engrossed in the book. Hermione looked over at Draco for a second, and thought his eyes looked rather moist.  
  
"Right, and then after I'm done watching Ron jack off to a porno mag., and Ginny and Harry get it on, I'll just go and put my dirty Mudblood hands all over your things."  
  
"Mhhhm.." mumbled Draco, oblivious to the mockery Hermione had just made of her friends and herself.  
  
Hermione didn't like being ignored. Incensed, she stormed out of the bathroom, ready to sleep all day, when she remembered she had a 6th year prefect meeting, consisting of the former 5th year Prefects. Fatigued, the feeling of replenishment provided by the bath completely drained, Hermione made her way to her dorm room, entwined in her robe. She pondered what exactly the prefect meeting would be on. Dumbledore had foreshadowed it to them when announcing the meeting at dinner last night, saying that it was a new project everyone would be participating in, and that it would be an inter-house-relations splash.  
  
Changing into her Hogwarts Gryffindor robes, she trudged down to the Common Room, pleasantly greeting her housemates. "Hi, Lavender, Parvati. Neville." Lethargically Hermione continued on her way to the portal on the Wall just outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, leading straight through to the Prefect Common Room. You don't be best friends with Harry Potter and not reap the benefits, or pick up on these sorts of secret things.  
  
Arriving in the room, she noticed a slight change in décor. Instead of the ornate red, gold, green, silver, yellow, black, white, and blue colorings, red, green, yellow, and blue were absent, and the remaining colors were blended in a sort of marbleized pattern. She gazed up at banner that said something that looked suspiciously like "Wedding Day," or "Webbing Hay," but her eyes were unfocused at the moment, and she didn't know what she was reading. Before long the other prefects began piling into the room. Among them were unusually Ron instead of Harry, and the one and only Draco Malfoy. Soon enough, Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore joined them, preparing to explain the bizarre banners-which turned out to say "Wedding Day," by the way.  
  
"Well now that you're all here, I suppose there's no point delaying things. Professor McGonagall?" began Dumbledore.  
  
"Well, I'm sure you've all read the banners. Each of you have been 'randomly' paired up with a member of the opposite sex from a house that is not your own. These pairings have been determined by the Sorting Hat, despite some obvious absurdities, which will dare I say soon be apparent.. Professor Snape?"  
  
"You, as a pair, will then be 'married,' and will 'have' a child, that will look like it would as if your genes had really in fact.. er, combined to form a child, so to speak. Roughly, you will experience married life, before it happens, so as to sway you from this real life experience, at such an early age. This is the first year we've done this, and will most likely continue, if this year turns out a success. Good Luck."  
  
"Good Luck."  
  
"Good Luck. As prefects, it's your job to pioneer this project. You will try this for three weeks prior to the rest of the 6th years. Any questions?"  
  
Draco raised his hand. "Does this mean that we'll only be partnered with other prefects?"  
  
"No," answered Dumbledore. "Actually, you and whomever you're paired with will be the first to initiate the mock marriage. But oddly enough, it just happened to turn out that way.. Any other questions?" The room fell silent. "Then I shall announce the pairings, beginning with Gryffindor House. Ronald Weasley, you are with.." 


	2. The Pairings

Ch 2_The Pairings  
  
A/N: The last chapter has been edited cuz I found that it sucked and was confusing so I just edited it a little bit. Definitely not my best work.. Oh well, it's a start. So if you read it B4 6/23/03, reread it. This chapter should be better. The last one was really hard to write cuz I wasn't sure how to go into the meeting and where to end and things like that. Tell me if you hated it plz cuz it's good for me to experience rejection. lol . R/R this one too and tell me what you think. Thanks. And thanks for reading it and giving me a chance even if you didn't review. By the way, I doubt this will be a problem, but this has lotsa Order of the Phoenix spoilers.. but to be on this site you sorta hafta be a nut.. so I'm sure you've all read it by now.  
  
Last Chapter:  
  
"Good Luck. As prefects, it's your job to pioneer this project. You will try this for a week prior to the rest of the 6th years. Any questions?"  
  
Draco raised his hand. "Does this mean that we'll only be partnered with other prefects?"  
  
"No," answered Dumbledore. "Actually, you and whomever you're paired with will be the first to initiate the mock marriage. But oddly enough, it just happened to turn out that way.. Any other questions?" The room fell silent. "Then I shall announce the pairings, beginning with Gryffindor House. Ronald Weasley, you are with.."  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_  
  
"Padma Patil," finished Dumbledore. Ron sighed. He'd taken her to the Yule Ball two years ago, and he had to admit that she was absolutely stunning. Her dark eyes and hair, however were a great contrast to his light colors. It interested Hermione how their children would turn out. Continuing, Dumbledore said, "Miss Granger, you are with Mr. Draco Malfoy." Draco and Hermione exchanged looks of contempt. This really seemed to flabbergast Hermione, filling her with consternation, as the Sorting Hat had selected the pairings. Snape had said something about obvious absurdities. This is blatantly what he meant. She just could not forget him and the other Slytherins plotting against them to take away all their points when Umbridge was their headmaster.. 'Inquisitorial Squad my ass.' Shaking off her feelings of abhorring, she tuned in to Dumbledore. He resumed with Pansy Parkinson, paired with Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff. Next Hannah Abbot, also representing Hufflepuff, was paired with Ravenclaw's Anthony Goldstein. And that was everyone.  
  
"Now that you've been paired," began McGonagall, "you shall be informed of your aspirations. You and your partner must pose as a married couple, taking turns caring for the child. You will not be going on any honeymoon or anything of that sort, but you will be provided with clothes and disposable muggle diapers for all intensive purposes, and must obviously feed the child. You should also both agree on a name, and on shifts in the care taking of the child. Finances aren't the subjects of the assignment as much as capability to keep your heads in such a situation and take care of your child. Random circumstances will be thrown out to you for you to work through together as a couple throughout this assignment. Are there now any questions?"  
  
Everyone's hand shot up in the air. Draco was called on first. "Is it really necessary for me to be paired with.. with that?" he asked, deliberately offending Hermione. She sneered at him and kept her hand raised until she was called on.  
  
"I'm going to ignore Malfoy's earlier remark.." if looks could kill.. "My question was, well, wouldn't it seem rather, erm, odd.. that half of us would just happen to show up with children to classes and meals?"  
  
"Good question, Miss Granger, or should I say Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione, Draco, and Ron cringed in unison. The question on -almost- everyone's minds was how the two of them would get through their assignment unscathed. "Everyone will be informed of the assignment, and told to act as if nothing was different," said McGonagall.  
  
"Fat chance.." muttered Ron.  
  
"Please line up in your sets for your children." The curious 6th years shuffled to form a line to receive their little bundles of joy in front of Snape. "If I could have a DNA sample from each of you?" he said in a bland voice, surveying the first couple consisting of Ron and Padma. Then, collecting the strand of hair each of them had mustered, he dropped them warily into a cauldron before them. After about 30 seconds of stirring, he picked up a vial and ladled the cauldron's contents into it. He handed this to McGonagall who then told the couple to follow her.  
  
The next couple, Hannah and Anthony, stepped forward, obediently obliging to Professor Snape and producing a strand of hair. Snape repeated the process he performed with the earlier pairing, but slipped the vial instead to Dumbledore, upon who's exit brought forth McGonagall's entrance, along with Ron and Padma, a child in Padma's loving arms. It was a boy, and it had dark auburn hair, and Ron's baby blues. He had seemed to be at least 9 months old by now. Hermione 'awwed,' and asked his name. Draco gave him a sideways glance and curled his lip, rolling his silvery eyes toward the ceiling, and back to the front of the line. 'We're almost up..' he thought with misery. 'Why did I have to get stuck with Mudblood Granger? Was I really THAT bad that it was decided that I'd be doomed to a year at Hogwarts, getting in trouble for something that wasn't even my fault this time? The one-year respite from O.W.L.s and something like this happens. The luck.'  
  
Ron, Padma, and Hermione hadn't noticed his sour expression however, so they stood unperturbed, discussing names. "Well I like 'Alan,'" said Padma.  
  
"But, that's such a sissy name!" argued Ron. "Well what do you suggest, then?"  
  
"How's something like.. 'Sean'?" Hermione nodded in assent. Padma screwed up her face.  
  
"He does look like a 'Shawn,' doesn't he?"  
  
"No," interjected Ron. "He looks like a 'Sean'."  
  
"Fine," said Padma, pandering to Ron's stubbornness.  
  
In the time that had passed for them to decide on a name, Malfoy and Hermione had moved up in line. Just as Hermione was preparing to tug a specimen from her head, Malfoy, a smug look on his face, snatched it from her coil of bushy curls just in time; and just as painfully- if not more, as the pluck was so unexpected. "Great initiative," said Snape with boredom. "10 points to Slytherin." Hermione rolled her eyes. Bad idea. "Hostility toward a Professor, 15 points from Gryffindor."  
  
"But Sir," said Hermione, uncharacteristically argumentatively. "With all due resp-"  
  
"Arguing with a teacher. I would have expected better from you, Miss Granger. Another 15 points."  
  
Hermione was furious. She didn't care anymore. She was way too disgruntled. It was too late. She was going for the whole nine yards. "Listen to me, you filthy derisive, derogatory, delusional man." Both Snape and Draco widened their eyes with intrigue, but quickly concealed this through false outrage. "You will cease berating my friends - yes Malfoy I have friends - and I, or you will face most dire consequences. You are the most revolting slime to ever walk the planet - though Malfoy, you share a species and your vile father does not stray very far.. - and I will cry tears of mirth the day Harry finally kicks Voldemort's - oh don't flinch you- ass and you two diminish into a pile of dust, as you, Malfoy were derived from your father, you clone you, and both you, Sevie, and Lucy were really hand molded by Voldemort - oh stop for God's sakes..- from maggots and dust into who or what rather you are now. Which would completely explain Snape's loathing toward hair care products and good smells. Now as I'm sure that even you two are both clever enough to perceive that I am in a most irritable mood, I suggest that you don't FUCK with me. COMPRENDEN?"  
  
"Well Miss Granger, it seems to me, that you have just lost your ability to participate in this function, and your eligibility as Head Girl next year as well. In this, you are to turn in your badge, the passwords to the Prefect facilities shall be changed, and perhaps next time, you won't be quite as impetuous, and might perhaps think before you speak. Good day, Miss Granger." He looked like he'd just tied both Trelawney and Harry to railroad tracks, with a train anticipated any second. He turned away from Hermione and looked at Draco, who looked as if Umbridge was back running the school. "Mr. Malfoy, you may stick around to hear the assignment with the other Prefects. Granger's replacement will join you tomorrow."  
  
Hermione still stood, dumbfounded as the realization of what had just happened hit her. It was unfathomable that she would ever fail to be named Head Girl, or relieved of her Prefect duties. She was quite certain that she was the smartest girl in her year, perhaps the school. She couldn't understand what had made her just erupt that way at Snape. She'd never done that before. She'd always had the power of restraint over herself. Now what would she do? She'd dreamed of this for too long. It couldn't be over. It just.. couldn't.  
  
A/n: Ok.. I didn't know it would turn out this way, but it's flowing.. if you don't like it, review and I'll change it immediately, if I get enough. If this does keep up however, the ships will remain and all.. but I think the path of the story will evolve into a mystery? Perhaps? I don't have a beta or plot line or anything, so im not sure what will happen.. I'll try to make the next chapter longer too. R/r ASAP for any suggestions on a way for which the story to lean. Ok later! 


	3. The Monstrosity

Ch 3_The Monstrosity  
  
A/N : Just to tell everyone, this is NOT smut, even tho it's rated r. it's rated r fro language and some adult situations and conversations, but it's not filled with imagery all-out smut. So if that's what you came for.. Also I'm trying really hard to keep characters in character, but you have to realize that that's really hard.. and im putting in a lotta funny quotes. Most are just like anonymous profile quotes. Others will have double parenthesis (( )) around the names of the quoted.and also sometimes if something sounds weird its cuz I would have said it that way, instead of written it, and things that are said do not sound the same as if they were written...right.. last but not least, I will not be updating for at least like 5 days after each chapter, because I want to leave you all in suspense, and I want to have the next chapter written before updating again.Ok now w/o further ado..  
  
Last Chapter:  
  
Hermione still stood, dumbfounded as the realization of what had just happened hit her. It was unfathomable that she would ever fail to be named Head Girl, or relieved of her Prefect duties. She was quite certain that she was the smartest girl in her year, perhaps the school. She couldn't understand what had made her just erupt that way at Snape. She'd never done that before. She'd always had the power of restraint over herself. Now what would she do? She'd dreamed of this for too long. It couldn't be over. It just.. couldn't.  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_  
  
That night, she'd gotten almost no sleep. In the only rest she had procured, Hermione just dreamed about what would have happened if she had been put into Slytherin. She also wondered who would be Draco's new partner. It was this sole purpose that'd motivated her to even rise the following morning. Yet facing Snape would still be arduous. Malfoy, however, wasn't a problem. It wasn't as if he himself had repealed her duties.  
  
Everyone in her dorm had already left for breakfast when she'd finally left the sanctuary of her curtained four-poster, not wanting to get into anything with her. Ergo, she was left alone to spruce herself up. The only problem was that she still couldn't get herself to look in the mirror; the torments of yesterday's events had made her loath to even look at herself. 'I don't need the mirror,' she thought, sniffing. She burst into tears. Hermione was too sensitive and fragile in instances such as the one she had gotten herself into yesterday. 'I don't even like to curse!' she thought uselessly. Resisting her sudden urge to strangle Snape with her bare hands- delicate flower that she is-, she stepped into the bathroom and began to wash her face. Only when she was finished did she glance up into the mirror.  
  
And damn did she wish she hadn't.. Hermione nearly fainted at the tainted vision of her reflection. She was a sickly lime green, with reddish looking sores all over her face. Her lips were dark purple as though she'd frozen to death. The worst part was that it wasn't the first time this had happened to her. The same thing, as she was beginning to recollect, happened as a side effect of a dark spell. 'Well not dark per se, but in its nature..' she thought.  
  
-----------------------------------------Flashback-------------------------- ------------  
  
"Ickle Ronnikins.. tsk tsk. We'd never thought we'd find you here like this! Well done bro, we were beginning to suspect you were gay! Hey 'Mione," the twins said, grinning, in response to the abashed look that had found its way onto her face. Hermione blushed and averted her eyes.  
  
Ron looked as if he would curse them to the moon if he knew how. Instead, he was perfectly intent on just performing the spell that would cause them their own personal equivalent. He gripped his wand in his hand so hard that it hurt and turned to face the boys, a nefarious look on his face. He suddenly began giggling manically.. like a maniac.. And pointed his wand straight at the twins, whose wide toothy smiles had melted away by now. Hermione noticed the look in his eye and knew she had to stop him before he did something rash.  
  
"Ron! NO!" she shouted pouncing in front of Gred and Forge - I mean Fred and George- just as he'd screamed 'Incubo Aléatoire.' This resulted in Ron nearly snapping his wand in half and dropping it instantly, running to Hermione's side who'd fallen after her big leap. Fred and George were already at her side as they had been much closer.  
  
"Ron! What have you done?"  
  
"Oh BLOODY FUCKIN' HELL, HERMIONE! Shit! That was NOT supposed to happen! Please don't be mad! It wasn't supposed to be for you! Oh, God.." He made a face.  
  
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but instead a slug slipped out, exactly as it had happened to Ron in their second year. Ron looked appalled, obviously empathetic. He desperately gave her a weak half smile, to which she responded with a very hostile, obscene uncharacteristically Hermione gesture with the hand that had not been clutching her stomach. Later, the twins and Hermione found out that it was a spell called, "Random Nightmare," as it caused its victim to live out a random nightmare. Anyway, the point of this story is that the day after, she was sporting the exact same appearance currently as in the flashback.  
  
---------------------------------End of Flashback--------------------------- ----------------  
  
"RONALD WEASELY WILL DIE TODAY."  
  
Finally, Hermione, understanding what was going on, knew she had no choice but to wait off the coloring like last time. It had taken three hours then, and not even when she tried to magic it away with muggle and magic makeup did it clear up. Hermione sighed sadly, resolving to send Ron, Dumbledore, and Snape a note from the sleek and nimble Crookshanks when she'd finished washing up and got changed. But just as she'd finished brushing her teeth, an owl collided roughly with her window. It was an unfamiliar owl, just one from the Owlery. Brown. It held no significance toward her, so she was reluctant to open the window, but her curiosity got the better of her.  
  
Miss Granger,  
  
It has just been brought to my attention that you are a "complete nutter," and have jeopardized all your plans for anything. Living your nightmare. Anyway, you have to go back to the project anyway, even if you weren't acting merely under the spell, just because the Sorting Hat's rather unusual second choice for Mr. Malfoy's partner was Neville Longbottom.. Though I think that was just to piss Mr. Malfoy off and get you back on the job. No worries, it worked. You are hereby fully reinstated, and it has been recognized that your actions were wholly a consequence of a spell cast by Pansy Parkinson in light of your and Draco's partnership. Please make your way to the Prefect Common Room to receive your child. Now.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Professor Dumbledore  
  
It took a few seconds for the information to sink in, but finally she realized that she was off the hook. 'Pansy did it? Oh well.. That cow, I'll get her back..' She scuttled out of the room and began to venture into the common room, when she discovered that she was still a wreck and had accomplished nothing but brushing her teeth. Not to mention that her face was.. a monstrosity..  
  
Upon the conclusion of her morning grooming rituals, Hermione tried once more to scrub her face with a scratchy loofa, but as last year's attempt, it proved as fruitless as getting a Malfoy to admit they were second best. Finally she felt there was nothing more she could do and become conscious of the fact that she was already late in getting her 'child'. "Oh bother," she sighed exasperatedly, scampering to the room, determined to ignore the stares of bystanders.  
  
Dumbledore and Draco seemed slightly impressed at her unpunctual arrival. Hermione ignored this and uttered, "Sorry I'm late, Professor." When Malfoy rolled his eyes, she added, nodding, "Malfoy," to be well mannered.  
  
"What the bloody hell is wrong with your face? Despite the obvious.."  
  
"Miss Granger, I see yesterday's spell seemed to have some unsightly side-affects on you.." Dumbledore chuckled, eyes twinkling. "No worries, anytime another spell affecting your purity causing such a reaction can easily be cleared up -although it clears up eventually on its own- with a simple 'Purifique' spell. Now I think that we should be-"  
  
"Erm, Professor, affecting my purity?" Hermione was perplexed and she loathed not knowing something.  
  
"Yes. Some people, possess a certain.. aura, I suppose, of goodness, purity. It's like, well, do you notice how when you see a unicorn, it gives you a certain feeling? A feeling of goodness and warmth that can't help but make you smile, laugh, or at least want to?" Hermione nodded slowly. "Well some people radiate some kind of innocence of the sort. Only a few people. It's fairly rare. Take Mr. Malfoy for instance."  
  
Malfoy looked shocked that Dumbledore was about to talk about him right in front of him. Especially of something like this. WAS HE ABOUT TO CALL HIM GOOD? A feeling stirred inside of him that did something to him that he didn't like. That he'd been taught not to like. The feeling was.. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was just a feeling of being good. In general.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy does not actually smile or laugh or maybe even notice the feeling of goodness a unicorn fills you with, but even within HIM, somewhere, deep inside, really deep inside perhaps, subconsciously, he does." Malfoy's mouth dropped in outrage. 'It was a compliment to be called the opposite of Granger,' thought Malfoy smugly. Dumbledore continued, "A person, like you, Hermione, is so pure, that he/she feels it instantly, stronger than others, and has the ability to have such an atmosphere and never falters in administering it, brightening up a room just by entering it. Such people, when penetrated by a curse or spell or anything else impure so to speak, will experience dreadful side affects."  
  
"Wh-Who else is a.."  
  
"'Pure Soul?'"  
  
"Yeah.. I guess.. And why didn't I know or notice anything?"  
  
"It's something that's unconsciously receptive and noticed. I just know that you are, because it's in my job description. As to the other question, I think you can answer that for yourself. For as you are now aware of it -and I hadn't told you earlier because I'd always thought you'd known, as you read so much - I believe it's up to you to deduce."  
  
"Harry?" Draco sneered at the mention of another thing he'd be better at than him in some way.  
  
"No. It's not even his disregard for the rules that does it, you seem to be developing one as well, if I may say, but do you really think he has the essence of a Pure Soul?"  
  
Shaking her head, she racked her brain again. "I don't know. Is there anyone else?"  
  
"I actually don't even think so, if you think of anyone, let me know." She nodded. "Anyway, I believe that now we must be going." They walked across the room to a similar cauldron that they'd seen when Snape had been doing this. "A strand of hair please."  
  
This time, Hermione yanked out her own hair and Draco kept to his own as well. They handed them to Dumbledore. He dropped them in and stirred for thirty seconds, exactly like Snape had. Ladling the substance into a small vial he took them also into another room where there was a shimmering, gold egg that he picked up gently, setting it into a small bowl/cauldron on the small table before them. Hermione and Draco took the liberty to remain upright regardless of the inviting soft leather couch that had been cannily noted by both of them. Dumbledore made a flourishing gesture with his hand, cueing them to sit, and when he didn't start after a while, they gave in and a took a seat as apart from each other as was seemingly possible.  
  
Ultimately, he initiated the process of forming their 'offspring.' Surprisingly to both kids, Dumbledore took an eyedropper that had sprouted out of his wand and dipped it into the pot, apparently attempting to suck something off of the egg. Draco appeared unimpressed at Dumbledore's seemingly frivolous efforts. But after a few seconds, it looked as though the egg was splitting in half. And it did. In the stint of time the egg stayed open, Dumbledore was steadily dropping drops of the vials contents into it. When he was done, the egg closed itself up, unscathed, the gold lacquer had bubbled and resealed. Then another miraculous thing happened.  
  
The egg's shelled cracked open and out oozed a thick dark pink substance. Then the shell somehow.. evaporated.. And the substance was solitary in the pot. Dumbledore put back the eyedropper and exchanged it for a blanket. He delicately shifted the pot and lay the blanket over the table. Next he made the pot extend into a human child mold. In a bit more time the child seemed to be ready and Dumbledore very meticulously turned over the mold onto the blanket, making sure the child didn't fall out. As he slowly, shrewdly lifted the mold, he wrapped the cold baby in the blanket.  
  
Now you could see the tiny head. This baby didn't appear 9 months old, it hadn't even opened its eyes. But its platinum blonde hair was already distinguished. Dumbledore picked up the baby and very warily and vigilantly supported its neck. "Who would like to hold their child?" asked Dumbledore to the awed couple. Draco, to Hermione as least, looked as if maybe the features in his face had softened.  
  
But she still knew that he wouldn't hold it. Not yet at least. "I-I will Professor."  
  
"Yes Miss Granger, er, shouldn't I really be saying Mrs. Malfoy, now?" Hermione and Draco both cringed involuntarily.  
  
"Please don't," they said in unison.  
  
Dumbledore handed the infant to Hermione, who marveled at how small, and beautiful, and innocent it looked. It. She still didn't know if it was a he or a she. "Professor, is the baby a boy or a girl?"  
  
"A girl."  
  
Both sighed. It turned out they both had names for girls. Hermione went first. "I like Alyssa."  
  
Draco thought about it. He had actually considered it himself. "Alyssa it is," he said without emotion, not wanting to give her a feeling triumph in achieving his consent.  
  
"Right then," said Dumbledore. "Now, I must make Alyssa - beautiful name, by the way, - age a few months." Hermione looked a bit disappointed for a second, but then understood that she'd have to breast feed it or something to that like, had Alyssa not been aged a few months, and that the assignment simply wouldn't work with a newborn. She'd even forgotten it was an assignment in the spur of the moment. Dumbledore uttered a growth charm of some sort, and the baby instantly grew to be about the same as Padma and Ron's had been. Suddenly something occurred to Hermione.  
  
"Professor, could Alyssa be a Pure Soul?"  
  
"Very easily. And I believe that that's even quite plausible Miss.. er, Granger," he said with a hint of disappointment.  
  
Hermione sighed heavily, and noticed something unusual about her daughter's hair. It was platinum blonde at first, when she was younger, but now it appeared to have natural highlights of Hermione's dark brown/reddish/burgundy color. She liked it. It was a vibrant contrast, but it seemed to somehow suit her. The hair was curly too. Curly and full of volume. Thick and healthy, as hers had been when she was younger, even though her own had taken a turn for the worse. But Hermione had a feeling it wouldn't with Alyssa, since Malfoy's hair was straight and perfect.  
  
Dumbledore broke the awkward silence. "I think you both should spend some time together, here if you like, getting to know your child alone together. I'll leave you two to it too. That was fun.." Dumbledore raved to himself, walking away.  
  
"I'm not going to take care of Alyssa alone, Malfoy."  
  
Rolling his eyes, he retorted, rather aggressively, through gritted teeth. "Fine. You take her now. I'll get her from here, later, at about 3 o' clock. Later."  
  
"But Dumbledore said that-"  
  
"Is there a point to your incessant ramblings??"  
  
"He's a Professor, a brilliant man, a genius really and I know that he deserves our respect and loyalty and for us to do as he wishes, even if it does happen to be the most revolting thing currently on my agenda."  
  
"Wrong answer." And with that Draco left Hermione standing, speechless. She hadn't a clue what she was going to do at this point. Everyone had to have known about it but did everyone know about her flip out and the curse and did people see her and did they know she lost eligibility for Prefect and Head Girl yesterday even though today that was null and void? Did they know? Did they not know? What did they know? Did they know she was a Pure Soul? Did they know what a Pure Soul was? She was completely lost. 


	4. The Collision

Ch 4_The Collision

Last Chapter: 

"Wrong answer." And with that Draco left Hermione standing, speechless. She hadn't a clue what she was going to do at this point. Everyone had to have known about it but did everyone know about her flip out and the curse and did people see her and did they know she lost eligibility for Prefect and Head Girl yesterday even though today that was null and void? Did they know? Did they not know? What did they know? Did they know she was a Pure Soul? Did they know what a Pure Soul was? She was completely lost. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"And then there were two," Hermione articulated, sighing, and turned to the cooing baby girl in her arms. "I guess I'll go flaunt you around to everyone then." She transfigured the blanket she was draped in into some nice baby clothes and left. Upon her arrival at the Gryffindor Common Room, everyone stared at her and the child in her arms. 

"Hermione!" said Ron and Harry together by the fire, their voices combining to assert her entrance a bit louder than she would've preferred. "Hermione, where've you been? We wanted to go upstairs to look for you! But you know the problem with that..." trailed off Ron, referring to the regrettable incident of last year. 

Hermione noticed all eyes from all around the Common Room on her. Apparently everyone had been talking about her, as the room was quiet as well. Awkwardly, she sat down, remembering the little bundle-of-joy in her arms. "Um, hey guys... I was in the Prefect Common Room, being reassigned as a Prefect because of a little outburst I had yesterday, due to a spell called the Random Nightmare. No big deal, really..." she declared to the entire common room, rather nervously. Everyone now knowing the whole-less exciting- truth looked a bit disappointed, and turned back shortly to their incessant gossip. Turning to Harry and Ron, she perched Alyssa on her knee, and said to them, "This is Alyssa. The spawn of Satan and me. Muggle reference… But isn't she adorable?" she squealed. 

Lavender and Parvati separated themselves from their group and came scrambling over at the sight of their baby. "Wow, Hermione! She looks just like you! And Malfoy, of course."

"But that's not a bad thing..." said Parvati, covering for her friend with a wink. 

Shrugging, Hermione began again, "Do you like her hair? I think it's really pretty."

Ron and Harry exchanged horrified looks, as they understood they were now entailed to a three-hour lecture from Lavender and Parvati about exactly what they think. "Well..." initiated Parvati.

 They continued talking to Hermione, who was acting a lot girlier in their presence. She handed the baby to Harry after a while, muttering something that sounded like, "Would you mind, Harry? Oh thanks you guys... Maybe you can get Sean to come and play with her or something.."  

Ron shrugged. "Well, Padma is coming around soon to trade him off..."

"Oh, Ron, that's a horrible way to refer to it. It's more like... Never mind. Er, Hermione, whatever happened to Malfoy, anyway?" asked Harry gawkily. 

"Huh? Oh, selfish prat took off. What time is it now anyway?"

"Almost two."

"Right, then I have an hour before I abdicate my position of mother. Oh, God. I just had a dreadful thought. What if...?"

"What's the matter?"

"What if Malfoy and the Slytherins dilute Alyssa's mind with muggle hating and teach her how to say... 'Mudblood'?"

"Oh, is that all? We'll just pound him to a pulp, 'Mione. No big deal," Ron announced.

"But the damage will already be done!" she stressed.

"Just breathe, 'Mione. He wouldn't dream of it. And she's too young to understand anyway. And it's not as if he was going to bring her home to his family for a good muggle sacrifice..." said Harry assuredly. 

"You don't know that!" The boys rolled their eyes. Hermione debated whether to tell them that they were both alleged Pure Souls. She decided against it, thinking it was a trifling fact, and decided to focus more on whether anyone else was. Then a thought occurred to her. Was there such thing as the opposite? Someone who when they walk into a room, fear arises within a person? A cold feeling perhaps? And if so... what happens if they were to have children... Could the Dark Soul be transformed into a Pure Soul? What if Malfoy were a Dark Soul? What would that make Alyssa? Does being a Pure or Dark Soul mean that you have a surplus of magic? More powerful? Are Dementors made from diminished Dark Souls? Hermione pondered and turned over each question in her head. She knew she'd have to discuss this with Dumbledore one day.

Hermione was enjoying her time with her daughter and her best friends… until Alyssa got hungry. Hermione was oblivious as to what her tears might've meant, and if it hadn't been for Ron, who'd been in the same pickle yesterday, she was sure Alyssa would have starved. 

"Hermione, you're supposed to give her regular food. She's got teeth and stuff now. She'll like what you like. I think."

"Right… Let's go to the kitchen then. Harry, Ron, are you coming?" she asked them when she saw them already involved in an enthusiastic conversation with Seamus and Dean about Quidditch. "Guess it's just the two of us again then, love," she looked down into her baby's silvery eyes. They were identical to her father's, yet so different. So warm. So beautiful. So familiar, and yet… so different. 

Wandering through the hall, she observed how very perceptive Alyssa turned out. Her tiny silvery orbs widened as they turned every corner of the mysterious castle. Finally they reached the portrait granting entrance to the kitchen. Just as Hermione was going to tickle the pear, she heard a voice calling her name behind her. "Hermione!" It was Ginny. 

"Hey Gin."

"Hey. Harry and Ron told me you were here. I missed you yesterday and today. I just woke up." She and Hermione had become good friends over the years, and now that she'd gotten over Harry, she was with them pretty often. "I wanted to see your baby! What's her name?"

"Alyssa. You want to help me feed her?"

"Cool."

By the time they had finished, it was already three o'clock. "Gin, I have to go bring Alyssa to the Prefect Common Room for Malfoy, you want to come?"

"Sure. So... What's it like? Knowing that you get to spend all that time with Malfoy?"

"'Get' to spend, Ginny? What do you mean? Who'd want to spend the rest of the year with him?"

"I would! He's so hot! Maybe an egotistical, belligerent jerky bastard, but you have to admit that he's seriously hot!"

"Actually... I haven't thought about it. His bad qualities seem to seriously surpass his good ones. Though now that you mention it..." Hermione trailed off, considering Ginny's point. 'Maybe it wouldn't be so bad? No… This IS Malfoy we're talking about.' 

Ginny shook her head at Hermione. "You know you're a disgrace to girls everywhere. We have our whole lives to like the right boys. The whole fun of being a teenager is being shallow!" Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"You know, Gin, I'm really worried that Malfoy's going to turn her into a muggle hating... muggle hater."

"Hermione, don't be so paranoid. What's he going to do? Bring her home to a nice muggle sacrifice?"

"You don't know that!" screamed Hermione, sensing severe déjà vu. "Sorry!" she squealed to stunned innocent passing bystanders. 

"Wow, Hermione. Just because his dad is a raving homicidal lunatic, and he was brought up to be one, and admires his father and tries to mimic him down to the tiniest detail... doesn't mean that he is one... does it?"

"He sure acts like it..."

"True... but he can't be as bad as Lucy Malfoy!" The girls chuckled and Hermione went back to her state of angst.

Ginny sighed deeply. She didn't like seeing Hermione like this. 'It's just an assignment. She doesn't expect to keep the kid, did she? Why is it bothering her so much? Why does she care about Malfoy? I will never know...' Ginny deliberated.

"You know, he does have a softer side. Or… something." Ginny looked confused, and didn't understand at what Hermione was getting. "I walked in on him in the Prefect Bathroom," Ginny's eyes widened, "I didn't see anything! But... he was reading... a muggle book." Ginny looked taken aback. "And it was a really good one. I read it. And... it was a nonfiction about a boy named, Jennings, who lived a horribly hard life. It was touching. And I just couldn't ever imagine a person like Malfoy reading something like that. It was so... surprising..."

"You're telling me..." said Ginny. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Now Ginny understood why she cared about Malfoy. It was just in her nature to care and nurture, and her thirst to know why. More or less.

Eventually, they reached the Prefect Common Room, and Draco Malfoy was nowhere in sight.  

"Ugh, Ginny, where do you think the mangy git is now, anyway?"

"Right here." Malfoy emerged from under an Invisibility Cloak before she had time to reply.

Meanwhile... "Malfoy! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Just another perk of skulking in the shadows. And wow, Granger, you _are_ a spastic freak..." She sneered at him in response. 

"What did I tell you, Gin?" Ginny made a face, and tugged a wisp of vivid red behind her ear. 

"I hate to break up such a lovely conversation, but I think, Hermione, it's time you give Alyssa up to Malfoy."

Hermione was suspicious of him. She still wasn't sure if she trusted Draco not to murk up their child's mind with his notions of purity. It took a while, but reluctantly, she concluded that she'd have to give her up to him sometime. Malfoy reached out to take Alyssa, and when she was in his arms, he held her up close to his body, and once again it became apparent -to the extremely insightful Hermione at least- that he'd softened a bit, though he was by no circumstance any more readable. 

"Right well, when do you want her back?" 

"Um, I'll take her again tomorrow before breakfast. In front of the Great Hall."

"Fine. Then I'll take her again after lunch."

"Great," she said actually pleasantly.

Noticing the change in her tone, he changed his to appear more irritable. "Right," he repeated, raising his eyebrow as though a hook-strongly resembling Snape's nose-had penetrated it and began raising his whole body with it. 

Hermione sighed as a result of his smugness, and went over to kiss Alyssa good-bye. Draco was now holding her almost cheek to cheek, so that she could lay her head on his shoulder anytime. Hermione leaned in to kiss Alyssa, wishing that she would stop squirming so much. She almost kissed her cheek, but Alyssa instead made a violent jerk, causing Hermione to collide with Draco, and she ended up kissing his cheek instead. Both of the couple's expressions changed so quickly it was hard to tell what they were thinking. Draco first paled then returned to his normal pallor, then paled even more again, then looked revolted, then blushed a pink tinge into the pale apples of his cheeks, and finally settled into his usual color. Hermione in comparison blushed straight away, then paled, then looked outraged, then blushed again, until she returned to her usual peachy color.

A/N: Hey I'm not updating for a while cuz I'm going on a cruise tomorrow in Europe! For 12 days, and I haven't even finished ch 5. So I thought I'd update this to hold everyone over. Ttyl plz review.. bye! 


	5. Bonding

Ch 5_Bonding

A/N: Last chapter was extremely fluffy, but hopefully the end was just enough of a meat-y cliffie to satisfy you all… haha. I wonder what's going to happen now… In case you haven't noticed… I'm sort of winging this… Right then..

Last Chapter:

Draco first paled then returned to his normal pallor, then paled even more again, then looked revolted, then blushed a pink tinge into the pale apples of his cheeks, and finally settled into his usual color. Hermione in comparison blushed straight away, then paled, then looked outraged, then blushed again, until she returned to her usual peachy color. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"Alright, then, I'll, um, be going now..." said Hermione, backing away slowly.

"Be sure to let the portrait hit you on the way out."

Rolling her eyes, a confused Hermione began to come to the conclusion that in a severely uncharacteristic way, Draco was going to let her go – even after kissing him.

"By the way, Granger, you realize that the baby's already been formed, don't you? We don't need to recreate the situation in which babies are naturally made... At least for me, not with _you_. So try your best to keep your lips to yourself next time." After a short pause, he topped off his lecture with, "But I clearly understand how that might be a problem." He smirked as Hermione blushed to the color of Ginny's hair. 

Ginny clearly felt like slapping him in the face. "Fucking asshole," she muttered under her breath, heading toward Hermione. "Come on, Hermione, we can take a hint!" She led Hermione out of the room, slamming the portrait shut with fervor. 

"Why's he such a pugnacious jerk, Gin? And why does he always get away with it?" asked Hermione tiredly. Her lack of sleep last night was catching up with her. 

"You're asking _me_?" 

"Worth a shot. Let's go back to the Common Room."

As they reached the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione felt like she was going to collapse. She wasn't sure that she could reach her dorm room, and thus plopped down on the couch. 

"Ginny, am I really a spastic freak like Malfoy said?"

"Well, Hermione, you're not a spastic freak because Malfoy said so... You're a freak because you do equations in your head for fun." Hermione rolled her eyes and feeling a bit better after her short respite, got up. 

"I need to get some-" Hermione yawned, "sleep."

Ginny sighed. "See you."

*______________________________________________________________________*

'2:20 already? That's weird..' "Pansy, get off. Now." Draco peered down at her busy, moist, hourglass figure. 'I shouldn't have to pry her off with a crow bar when I'm done with a quickie.' The thought originated from his impatience with Pansy, and was meant to sound agitated, but in his mind the words took a more egotistical turn. After all, he was so irresistible, what girl wouldn't require a bit of prying? He smirked devilishly. 

Instantly, he got an idea. "Pansy. Go get my Invisibility Cloak," he said, urging her to assist in carrying out his whim. 

*______________________________________________________________________*

'This is boring.' Draco wandered the halls restlessly. 'Where is everyone? Granger?' She was just exiting the kitchen, accompanied by Ginny and Alyssa. 'I might as well spy on them. We're going to the same place now, anyway.' He took a few strides in their direction, and began walking with them, remaining within earshot.

 "Gin, I have to go bring Alyssa to the Prefect Common Room for Malfoy, you want to come?" 'No need to sound so disappointed.'

"Sure. So... What's it like? Knowing that you get to spend all that time with Malfoy?" 

"'Get' to spend, Ginny? What do you mean? Who'd want to spend the rest of the year with him?" 'HEY!'

"I would! He's so hot! Maybe an egotistical, belligerent jerky bastard, but you have to admit that he's seriously hot!" 'Very nice... _very_ nice. If it weren't against all my Malfoy principles, I'd date her. The vixen. But what a mouth on her! I like it.'

"Actually... I haven't thought about it. His bad qualities seem to seriously surpass his good ones. Though now that you mention it..." she said. 'Ew, she likes me now? Well, at least she finally stopped lying to herself...' Draco smirked to himself, and wished his cronies were around to share in the mirth. Plus he wanted to show off that now even Harry's friends were interested in him. 

"You know, you're a disgrace to girls everywhere. We have our whole lives to like the right boys. The whole fun of being a teenager is being shallow!" 'Kid's got spunk.'

"You know, Gin, I'm really worried that Malfoy's going to turn her into a muggle hating... muggle hater." 'Yeah? What of it?'

"Hermione, don't be so paranoid. What's he going to do? Bring her home to a nice muggle sacrifice?" 

"You don't know that! Sorry!" 'Typical Mudblood. Apologizes for acting like a lunatic and traumatically scarring common bystanders.' The lowly passerby's looked scared out of their wits at her frantic shrieks.

"Wow, Hermione. Just because his dad is a raving homicidal lunatic, and he was brought up to be one, and admires his father and tries to mimic him down to the tiniest detail... doesn't mean that he is one… does it?" 

"He sure acts like it..." 'Bitch.'

"True… but he can't be as bad as Lucy Malfoy!" The girls chortled in amusement. 'You can forget your chances of going out with me _now_.' But as the echoing of their laughter vanished from their vicinity, Hermione seemed to be thinking resolutely about something.   

 "You know, he does have a softer side. Or… something." 'Oh bloody hell...' thought Draco, wondering what she was talking about. Scrupulously probing through his earlier memories was no help. But he did grow intensifyingly inquisitive. 

 "I walked in on him in the Prefect Bathroom," she began, and Draco's mind shut down at that point. Pausing, he turned a pale shade of green under the cloak and began to berate himself with fervor, feverishly willing Hermione to stop. 'Oh shit, Mudblood. Keep your mouth shut! you busybody.' 

Regaining his senses, he jogged quietly over to them, concentrating on the soft padding of his feet on the floor below him, intent on keeping his approach silent. Of course by that time, Hermione had almost finished talking. Catching up with the girls, he heard her conclude her speech with, "- Malfoy reading something like that. It was so… surprising..." 'And it was supposed to remain a surprise...' he thought, his face contorting into a nasty sneer as his stare fell upon her.

"You're telling me..." 'What's _that_ supposed to mean?' 

            Soon they approached the Prefect Common Room, and Draco glided in ahead of them, positioning himself cautiously.

 "Ugh, Ginny, where do you think the mangy git is now, anyway?"

"Right here." 'This charade has gone on long enough,' he thought, revealing himself behind them so they didn't notice him slipping out of the cloak and tucking it into his pocket with a silent shrinking spell. 

 "Malfoy! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Just another perk of skulking in the shadows." 'Wow, Granger, you _are_ a spastic freak... I mean...' "And wow, Granger, you _are_ a spastic freak..."

"What did I tell you, Gin?" He noticed the bitter malice in her voice and smirked to himself. 

"I hate to break up such a lovely conversation, but I think, Hermione, it's time you give Alyssa up to Malfoy."

            After what seemed like an eternity of an internal battle to Draco, she handed him Alyssa. 

"Right well, when do you want her back?" he asked.

"Um, I'll take her again tomorrow before breakfast. In front of the Great Hall."

"Fine. Then, I'll take her again after lunch."

"Great," she said actually pleasantly.

'Why is she being nice? Stop! It's creeping me out.' "Right." 

Draco shifted Alyssa in his arms, and by the time he'd finished and looked up, Hermione was there, apparently for a good-bye kiss. 'Stop jerking, child!' She leaned in to kiss her, but due to another of Alyssa's wrenches, she ended up kissing her archenemy.  'I must disinfect as soon as humanely possible. What would Father say?' Noticing her change in color and facial expression, it was apparent that Draco had felt a lot better, as he'd returned to his original pallor. 

"Alright, then, I'll, um, be going now..." she tried to cover for herself.

"Be sure to let the portrait hit you on the way out." 'But I can't leave it at that...' "By the way, Granger, you realize that the baby's already been formed, don't you? We don't need to recreate the situation in which babies are naturally made... At least for me, not with _you_. So try your best to keep your lips to yourself next time. But I clearly understand how that might be a problem." Draco gave her his illustrious Malfoy smirk when he'd noticed her blushing as red as her house color.

 "Come on, Hermione, we can take a hint!" exclaimed Ginny. She slammed the portrait hard, making Alyssa jump a little.

"And then there were two." 

Clutching Alyssa to his chest, he stalked out of the Prefect Common Room. "Now what?" he asked, looking down into his daughter's silver eyes, so identical to his own. Arching his left brow, he sighed. 

"You were artificially inseminated. I did not sleep with a Mudblood." He noticed subtle change in her facial expression, and added, "Don't look at me like that." With a sharp sigh, it occurred to him that only place he'd had to go was down to the Slytherin Common Room. 

As they began their trek, Alyssa settled comfortably in Draco's arms.  "You know, you did of course seem to come off with my good looks." Glancing down at her, he flashed her a rare grin. "You can't help who you are, I suppose, though. So we'll just forget that you're a half-blood. I can be pure enough for the both of us," he said positively, lowering his hand to examine a strand of her uniquely colored hair. He noted that it was soft and feathery, like his own. His posture lightly sagged and he stroked her hair for a moment. She was so peaceful. As they continued to walk and they began to pass people, he immediately ceased his affectionate display and regained his rigid composure.

Making his way across the castle, glancing carelessly at the various elaborate tapestries and portraits scattering the walls, he reached the stairs leading to the cold stone dungeon of his current abode. 

            "Dragon's blood." The stone door granting entrance to Draco's common room emerged from the wall and slid open, and he ventured into the Slytherin Common Room. He moved them to his favorite place in the common room, the couch by the fire, and took a seat. 

Alyssa's calculating stare at the round green lamps that were suspended from the ceiling by chains, conveyed her kindled interest in the eerie glow they were radiating. Draco considered raising her up to examine the lamps, but as abruptly as she had gained interest in them, she showed absolutely no signs whatsoever of the lights ever having influenced her. Now Draco was stuck. He had no prior experience with small children, let alone did he have the merest hint as to how he would entertain the baby girl that now sat before him on the ironically cozy armchair across from him. 

Luckily, Blaise had caught sight of him from across the room, at the completion of an avid conversation on makeup with Millicent Bulstrode and Anastasia Saba. The three girls shuffled en masse over to Draco and "the adorable little jewel with his eyes." Resolving to abdicate his duties over to the girls and let them handle her for the rest of the day, the girls capriciously lost interest in Alyssa as quickly as she'd lost attraction in the lamps, and left Draco all alone with her. 

"Shit," cursed Draco, his plan foiled. "What'll I do now?" Almost screwing up his face in immense concentration, Draco contemplated the answer to his question. Feeling lost, but extremely loath to admit it, Draco glared at Alyssa. Not used to Draco's coldness, she looked a little shocked. Even at her age she could understand when she was being treated harshly. Draco, however, didn't care. 

"Come on, you can't even talk! Or can you? If you can understand me, nod." He nodded so as to demonstrate the proper fashion in which he expected her to follow suit. To his bewilderment, she did. "So you can understand me?" He looked mildly interested, habitually concealing his emotions. "Can you read?" Alyssa made a face. "Oh right, you're not even one yet... Anyway don't make faces unless it's necessary, like a glare or something. It gives you wrinkles. And shows too much emotion," he said nonchalantly.

 "You know, you're terribly unfortunate to have me as a father." He had almost whispered the statement, recalling his own cold childhood, and sensitive to the chill that often accompanied his reminiscence. As Alyssa once again scrunched up her face in confusion, Draco raised his eyebrows at her to stop and she obeyed instantaneously. "You learn quick, grasshopper." Suddenly becoming aware of his slip of a muggle phrase, Draco's eyes surveyed the room for anyone that might've heard, but as everyone was absorbed in their own lives, no one seemed to have noticed. 

"As I was saying," he began unperturbed, "it's rather ill-fated for you that I turned out to be your father. The way I was raised, I'm completely oblivious as to what I'm supposed to... do. You see, we Malfoys have a very high respectable reputation to uphold, and high standards for our kin. We have certain laws to abide by, and you learn those as a child. The hard way. And as every Malfoy manor is complete with torture chamber, dungeon, and such, it's not difficult to get your point across. But since you are part Mudblood, you can never be a true Malfoy, so there's no point in being that harsh with you. Plus, as a child, I resolved never to handle a child of mine in that manner, and you pass for that, at least. Anyway, I guess you're just stuck with me. So let's... get out of here. You might catch a chill," he said surprising himself at the caring statement he'd allowed to escape his lips. Draco picked up his daughter warily and traipsed up the stairs out of the dungeons. 

"Can you walk?" he asked Alyssa unexpectedly once they were out of sight of the Slytherin Common Room. In his arms, she replied with a sigh, and randomly lifted her hand and ran it through her father's hair. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Fa-ath-er-er," she stuttered. Draco raised his eyebrows, startled. He made a face that illustrated something like, 'not bad,' and put her down on the floor, holding her hands in his. He stood behind her, her arms flailing above her head in Draco's grasp, and they began to move. Draco half-smiled at her rapid progress. 

For about an hour, the father/daughter bonding ritual was engaged. By the time they had finished, it was about six o'clock, and an hour until they were due at the Great Hall for dinner.

 Draco concluded that the little interaction there was between Alyssa and the other Slytherins, the better. Though he wouldn't admit it, he'd developed a sort of attachment to her, despite her being a half-blood. That was why he needed to keep her away from that crowd. 

"Well now what? We have about an hour to kill. Let's go wander the halls, talking about people behind their backs! Would you like that?" he asked in mock excitement. Alyssa raised an eyebrow in a very Draco-like fashion. "Right, you can't talk. Don't worry, I can make fun of them for the both of us," he said decisively and once again lifted his daughter into his sculpted arms. 

A/N: "You're a freak because you do equations in your head for fun." ((The Weekenders))   idea of : "You know, you did of course seem to come off with my good looks" ((penname Ravishingly Discreet))        Ok. . . I know that 'intensifyingly' isn't a word, but all great writers make up words at some point in their writing! Dr. Seuss did it all the time!


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE VERY IMPT

Ch 6_Author's Note--- VERY IMPT

A/N: I just want to plug Idiotic Interrogations—it's back up!! WOOHOO!! Since I can't seem to make links of any sort work on this fruckin thing and I've tried countless times, don't worry, wherever there's a space, there should not be, so when copy pasting just backspace them, aright : "   efanfiction. net/ viewstory. php ?sid =12463&i=1  " Chapters two and three or so are up there as well. Aright now, back on track. This story ends NOW. I'm very sorry but I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing next in it… really…so, sorry. If you really wanted to see what this would turn out as, thanks for the support, but this idea is just dead to me. I'm keeping it up for anyone who likes it.. and if you wanna continue it, go ahead, but ask my permission first please. Goodbye forever,

Manda

This is not my last story tho… so if you liked me, don't worry. Aright ttyl bye


End file.
